Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update
March 26, 2021
The following information on the Flint Hills wildland fires will be sent weekly to keep stakeholders up to date on fires and related smoke.
Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Meteorology
The Flint Hills saw a dry stretch on Friday-Sunday (March 19-21) between two storm systems before periods of clouds and rain moved back in for the Monday-Thursday (March 22-25) period. Precipitation totals varied between a quarter inch to nearly two inches for the Flint Hills region. Winds were light and variable for Friday (March 19), but then the strong southerly winds were observed on Saturday and Sunday (March 20-21) with wind gusts well above 30 mph at times on Sunday (March 21). Temperatures were seasonable early in the period (March 19-21), but then were a bit below average for much of the latest work week (March 22-25) under cloudy skies and periods of rain. The combination of rain and some dry and sunny conditions has certainly started the green-up for parts of the Flint Hills and will continue to develop from southeast to northwest as temperatures warm.
Precipitation
NOAA/NWS Observed Total Precipitation for March 19-25, 2021.
Friday, March 26, 2021 2 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • •
7-day (March 19-25, 2021) Observed Weather from Kansas Mesonet station near Elmdale, Kansas (https://mesonet.k-state.edu/)
Friday, March 26, 2021 3 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Air Quality Data
Air quality data for the period of March 19-25, 2021:
Ozone: Preliminary data indicates no exceedances of the NAAQS daily 8-hour average maximum of 70 ppb.
3 PM2.5: Preliminary data indicates no exceedances of the NAAQS daily 24-hour average maximum of 35 µg/m .
Air quality images on the following pages for each day show preliminary data, courtesy Air Now Tech.
Friday, March 26, 2021 4 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Friday, March 19, 2021
PM2.5 (24-hour average) Ozone (8-hour average maximum)
Friday, March 26, 2021 5 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Saturday, March 20, 2021
PM2.5 (24-hour average) Ozone (8-hour average maximum)
Friday, March 26, 2021 6 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Sunday, March 21, 2021
PM2.5 (24-hour average) Ozone (8-hour average maximum)
Friday, March 26, 2021 7 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Monday, March 22, 2021
PM2.5 (24-hour average) Ozone (8-hour average maximum)
Friday, March 26, 2021 8 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Tuesday, March 23, 2021
PM2.5 (24-hour average) Ozone (8-hour average maximum)
Friday, March 26, 2021 9 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Wednesday, March 24, 2021
PM2.5 (24-hour average) Ozone (8-hour average maximum)
Friday, March 26, 2021 10 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Thursday, March 25, 2021
PM2.5 (24-hour average) Ozone (8-hour average maximum)
Friday, March 26, 2021 11 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Flint Hills Acreage Burned (February 23 – March 7, 2021)
. Counties Acres Burned Butler 2,116 Chase 3,042 Chautauqua 1,297 Coffey 2,085 Cowley 2,054 Elk 1,575 Geary 958 Greenwood 2,610 Lyon 4,232 Marion 1,575 Morris 618 Osage (KS) 3,691 Pottawatomie 1,807 Riley 4,881 Wabaunsee 2,935 Wilson 1,359 Woodson 757 Nowata (OK) 1,359 Osage (OK) 7,969 Washington (OK) 633 Kay (OK) 1,436
Total 48,989
* Denotes county was partly or completely covered by clouds during latest analysis.
Friday, March 26, 2021 12 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Fires and Smoke
The brief period of dry conditions in between two weather systems prompted handfuls of fires on Friday (March 19) and Saturday (March 20) within the Flint Hills and the surrounding KSFIRE.ORG region. Parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas, south/east of the Flint Hills, was very active with prescribed burning on • • • Saturday (March 20) and Sunday (March 21) as noted by the This website was analysis below with numerous smoke plumes plotted. Strong developed as part of southerly winds inhibited prescribed burns within the Flint Hills the development of on Sunday (March 21). the Kansas Flint Hills Smoke Management The combination of smoke on Saturday and Sunday under Plan. Kansas State steady, but strong south winds led to an increase in particulate University hosts the matter at air quality monitors from Oklahoma, through Kansas webpage and it and Missouri, and along the Missouri River impacting includes important Nebraska, Iowa, and even into South Dakota and Minnesota information for where Moderate Air Quality Index was observed. As a cold ranchers and others front moved southeastward through the region this smoke who might be returned south and led to elevated particulate matter at interested in the Flint monitors on Monday (March 22) for parts of the region despite Hills. It provides training, regulations, minimal burning the day of. policies, publications, This cold front brought more rain, clouds, and wind to the a modeling tool and region which led to minimal fire activity for the remainder of other links to guide the week. people looking for information on smoke management. The development of the Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan is an attempt to balance the need for prescribed fire in the Flint Hills with the need for clean air in downwind areas.
Friday, March 26, 2021 13 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • •
Friday, March 26, 2021 14 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • •
Friday, March 26, 2021 15 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • •
Friday, March 26, 2021 16 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • •
Friday, March 26, 2021 17 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Flint Hills Wildland Fire Update • • • Upcoming Look at Fires and Smoke
Parts of the northern Flint Hills may see rain late today into tonight, but otherwise a primarily dry forecast for the upcoming week with only a low chance for additional rain late Tuesday into Wednesday. Breezy to windy conditions are expected though today (Friday, March 26), Saturday afternoon (March 27), and especially Monday into Tuesday (March 28-29). Conditions will also dry back out considerably with the potential for relative humidity below 30 percent on Sunday (March 28), Wednesday (March 31), and Thursday (April 1). At least a few days with reasonable to good conditions for prescribed burning appear likely in the upcoming week with the current forecast. But caution will certainly need to be taken when considering higher wind speeds and lower relative humidity that appear likely at times. Ideal Weather Conditions for Prescribed Burning
Current National Weather Service forecast for the approximate center of the Flint Hills showing when conditions may be most favorable for wildland burning as described at KSFire.org. Conditions are most favorable when each parameter has a colored boxplot displayed. Note: Forecast for mixing height and transport winds are only out to 2 days. Forecast valid: 8am March 26, 2021.
For more information, contact: Jayson Prentice Chief, Environmental Data & Projects, Bureau of Air Kansas Department of Health & Environment 785-291-3782 [email protected]
Friday, March 26, 2021 18 Kansas Department of Health and Environment